


Guys Like Us

by thePetetoherPatrick



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Prison, Angst, Character Death Implied, Execution, Extremely Dubious Consent, Feels, Fluff, I'm not sorry, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Major character death - Freeform, Murder, Organized Crime, Prison AU, Smut, Violence, long oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 13:52:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12842544
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thePetetoherPatrick/pseuds/thePetetoherPatrick
Summary: Gerard sat blank faced staring at the wall of his new home, if you could even call it that. His life had stopped on a dime and taken a nose dive off the highest cliff it could find.





	Guys Like Us

**Author's Note:**

> Sooooooo.....this took longer than I thought it would but it's also waaaaaay longer than I thought it would and there were way more feels than I thought there would be but it's 5am and I'm posting it so you know. I'm also in the middle of transferring to new laptop so finding things is a pain in the ass right now.

 

Gerard sat blank faced staring at the wall of his new home, if you could even call it that. His life had stopped on a dime and taken a nose dive off the highest cliff it could find.

 

_ He heard the murmur among the jury, the evidence too clear and his confession ringing in their ears. The banging of the hammer on the bench wasn't even enough to pull him out of his own head. It was over. He had lost in every sense of the word. He didn't fight back as the police officers present stood him up and brought his arms behind him to handcuff his wrists. He let them lead him away but he didn't hear anything said to him and he didn't really see where he was going. He was staring at nothing, the only image was inside his mind and it was one that would haunt him. He knew that. It was the choice he'd made. _

 

Gerard rested his head against the hard concrete of the wall behind him, closing his eyes and letting the tears fall in the quiet darkness where no judging eyes could see him.  His heart felt empty and he just wanted it to end but he had 5 years to wait out. He didn't know why. It seemed like a cruel joke. To give him five more years. It wouldn't matter by the end of it. 

 

 

~~~~~

  
Frank stepped through the metal detector and smiled at Ray who nodded that he was clear. Security getting into work was ridiculous but in a place like this it was understandable. The worst criminals were locked in here to rot. Some might get out but this prison was kind of a dead end. Whether it was a life sentence or the death penalty, not many actually ever left this place. Some did, of course, they served their time and left or they got out early on good behaviour but Frank hadn't really noticed much of that happening. Though not much of anything really happened on the night watch. The odd fight at dinner but that's it.

 

"You're down at cell block eight tonight, apparently there's a new one down there too. Murder. No idea."

 

Ray shrugged as Frank sorted out his uniform and fastened his taser to his belt. 

 

"Nothing new then. I haven't been to eight in like six months though so I don't know who is new or was already there down that way."

 

"Well good luck man." 

 

"Thanks." 

 

Frank chuckled and headed down to the door into the prison itself. He sighed as he walked to cellblock either. It was quite a ways down and in the other wing. It was his least favorite cellblock to go to, it was drafty and damp, the inmates down there were usually the ones no one could stand. It was just about dinner time so Bob would be there to help him wrangle them all into the mess hall. There were about 10 in a cellblock and while there were two guards to a block there was many more in the common areas. All they had to do was get them there and back. They were easy to manage while they were in their cells. 

 

Frank finally got to eight and looked in the cells. He was told one was empty, so only nine. The cells were usually one person but they could fit two if capacity was high. An empty cell though meant they were doing ok. He was met with the familiar grinning face of Robert McCracken, inmate #953621, Bert to anyone who'd had the misfortune of being around him long enough to know he didn't answer to anything else. 

 

"Ah, so you're still here? They haven't sent you on the long walk yet?"

 

"Frankie, baby, you wound me. You know I'm not slated for death row. I've only got twenty two to life left."

 

Bert pouted at Frank through the bars. The cells were concrete boxes with bars across the front. Kept the inmates separate, giving the illusions of privacy, and yet let the guards keep an eye on them. They could hear each other and would talk back and forth, even yelling from one end of the hall to the other sometimes. It was amusing. Frank could see Bob standing at the other end of the hall looking in a cell with a concerned expression on his face. Frank looked at Bert. 

 

"Keep dreaming, it's good for you, keeps the mind from breaking. But you and I both know you're not getting out of here." 

 

Frank headed down to Bob without another word.

 

"What's going on down here, Bryar?"

 

"I'm not a hundred percent on the answer to that, Iero, this one hasn't stopped staring at that wall since before I got down here." 

 

Frank looked into the cell and frowned, the inmate was sitting on the floor of his cell with his head against the wall behind him and staring blankly at the one across from him. Frank could only barely see the side of his face through the mess of long black hair hiding it. 

 

"Know anything about him?" 

 

"Other than that he's silent, no. I haven't been down here in a month. I think it was Dewees and Nestor down here before us." 

 

"Ah, shit...we'll have to see where they are. We gotta get these guys up and ready for dinner. You got this one?"

 

"Yeah...you can wrangle Bert though, he's in a mood today and I'm not dealing with it."

 

Frank deflated a bit but nodded and headed back up to the other end. Once they got the eight of them lined up Frank looked at Bob who went back to try and get the one in cell ten out. He wasn't responding to anything and hadn't moved. It was starting to worry Frank.

 

"I don't think we can leave him there. Can we?"

 

"We'll have to bring some food back to him when the others have gone to bed or they'll all expect it to be delivered but if he doesn't eat his stay is going to be real short."

 

Frank sighed and they marched their eight down to the mess hall. Leaving ten in his cell. They would be gone maybe half an hour so he should be ok and there was a guard doing rounds so they asked him to keep an eye on him. 

  
~~~~~

 

Frank waited till lights out and walked past Bob down to ten to slide the tray of food in. They each took a half of the hall and Frank had stuck Bob with Bert's end after the ass grabbing incident at dinner. Frank crouched in front of the bars of ten's cell. Nine was the empty cell apparently. 

 

"Hey, you awake in there?"

 

Frank asked even though he could see that he was in the dim light from the hall. He didn't respond though. Dewees and Nestor had been no help at all. They didn't know much about ten either, not even a name or inmate number. They'd tried to get him out and tried to get him to eat. He'd only been in a couple of days. Frank sighed and looked at the food. It wasn't the most appetizing thing but it wasn't awful. Frank wouldn't turn his nose up at it anyways, except maybe the little meat patty. The rest looked fine. He looked at ten and stood up. This was a bad idea and he knew he wasn't supposed to do this but the guy needed to eat. Frank looked down at Bob and jingled his keys to get his attention. Bob looked up and Frank signalled that he was going in. Bob frowned but nodded and moved down the hall towards him a bit so if he shouted he'd hear and be closer. Frank unlocked the cell door and stepped inside, closing and locking it behind him. He was cautious but the inmate didn't show any sign that he even knew he was there. He wasn't dead, Frank could see his chest rise and fall with his breathing. He carefully crouched down in front of him and set the tray on the floor. He knew in the back of his mind that this was stupid and dangerous but what the hell else was he supposed to do if ten intended to starve himself. 

 

"Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you, ok? You need to eat something, from what I've heard it's been a few days."

 

Frank said and the inmate didn't seem to see him. It had crossed Frank's mind that Ray had said the new guy was in for murder so the possibility of him not being all there was present but he could see the tear tracks on his face. He didn't look like a killer. 

 

"Not eating is just gonna make the boss come down and take you to the psych ward and they'll hook up an IV to keep you alive."

 

This seemed to actually reach him. The pure terror that filled the man's eyes almost hurt to see.

 

"No..."

 

He whimpered, shaking his head.

 

"No needles."

 

He looked so scared. Frank wondered what kind of murderer was afraid of something as simple as needles.

 

"Well then I suggest you eat and don't give them a reason to stick you with a needle, okay?"

 

Ten looked at the tray of food and back up at Frank. 

 

"And that means you have to go with the others at meal times. This is the only time I can bring the food to you." 

 

Ten nodded and shifted a bit, wincing as stretched a little bit. He'd been sitting there for a while. 

 

"And while the cot isn't the most comfortable thing in the world it's probably better than the floor."

 

He stood up. 

 

"When you're done just slide the tray under the door."

 

Frank backed up to the door and unlocked it, stepping out and locking it again without ever taking his gaze away from the inmate. He went down to check the other three on his half. Bob raised an eyebrow at Frank, who simply shrugged. He wandered up and down the hall silently for a while before he saw the tray slide out from under the door at the other end of the hall. Frank couldn't help but smile a little. He walked down and picked up the tray. He hadn't eaten all of it but it was a start. He looked in at him and saw him curled up on the bed.

 

"When I get in tomorrow night I better not hear that you skipped breakfast or lunch, okay?"

 

He saw him nod and sighed in relief a little. The threat of an IV was all it took to break through to him.    


  
~~~~~   


  
Gerard woke up feeling like shit. His dreams and his waking were blending together to create one cohesive hell in his head. The guard from yesterday had gotten him to snap out of it a bit but that somehow made it worse. He'd barely slept and his stomach hurt a little from trying to eat for the first time in days. He couldn't finish what was given to him but he tried. He really didn't want an IV. He hated needles. He couldn't rationalize the fear it was just there. The guard had been pretty nice about it though. The morning guard unlocked his door and looked at him. 

 

"So you finally moved then? You gonna come out for breakfast?"

 

He held the door open and waited for Gerard. He pushed himself up and shuffled out to join the others. His back ached and his mouth was dry, the pant legs of his jump suit were too long and dragged under his feet. Gerard wasn't short, they just didn't have his size handy anywhere when they brought him in. The other prisoners looked surprised at his appearance but said nothing. He kept his head down and walked in line up to the mess hall. He was herded into a line at a counter. They scanned his ID bracelet and looked up at him in concern. They gave him his tray and he guessed that maybe they knew he hadn't been eating. He looked at the number on the thing as he went and sat at an abandoned table in the corner away from the others. He didn't really have a name anymore, just this number. He sighed and picked at the scrambled eggs. They weren't bad and the little fruit cup was alright. Nothing exciting. He tried to eat the toast but it was kind of burnt. He didn't know how long had passed before they came and rounded them up again, scanning IDs to make sure the right inmates went to the right block. Gerard ducked away from the others as they tried to talk to him. 

 

He found soon that they weren't actually going back to the block. Cellblock eight and nine got to go outside first today. It was about nine in the morning, Gerard guessed, so it wasn't cold out but the midday sun hadn't scorched everything yet either so the pavement wasn't too hot to sit on.  He watched as the other's organized into a block versus block basketball game. It wasn't anything spectacular to watch but it wasn't a wall at least. Gerard was content to sit there by himself till a guard came up beside and gently kicked at his leg. 

 

"Get up, buddy, go join the game or do some laps or something, even if you just walk. Ya can't just sit around."

 

Gerard nodded and got up to at least walk around the fence line. That should appease the guard. He kept his eyes down mostly but also sort of watched the game. The one guy seemed to be as in charge of the others as you could in a prison. One of the teams had undid the tops of their jumpsuits and tied them at their waists, kind of mimicking the shirts and skins way of telling teams from school. From what he could tell he thought that his cellblock was shirts and the guy in charge was from his cellblock. He didn't know how to feel about that. There was an alarm and the others dropped the ball and immediately filed into lines. Gerard followed as they led them inside and took them somewhere else. 

 

They ended up in a laundry room. Gerard sighed and nodded as he was given a task in folding the clean and dried jumpsuits. Each had a name and number written into the collar of them and each inmate seemed to have four jumpsuits. They were still with cellblock nine and Gerard wondered to himself if maybe that was normal. He thought about it and wasn't sure why they were with nine. If the cellblocks were in pairs then they should surely be with seven. He shook his head and went back to sorting and folding. 

 

After lunch they had a bit of free time in a common area with the other cell blocks. Gerard tucked himself away from everyone in a corner. What he wouldn't give for a pencil and some paper right now. He watched the others and could see quiet trades going on between some of them. He wasn't quite sure how they even had any possessions to trade in the first place. He jumped when someone plopped down on the bench beside him and put their arm around him. He looked and saw the guy from earlier, the one that seemed in charge of eight and nine. 

 

"Well hey there, cutie, good to see you finally out of your cage. Hard time adjusting? It's ok, we all go through it. My name is Bert, by the way, what is yours?"

 

"Uh...Gerard..."  


 

"Awe, that's cute, can I call you Gee?"

 

Gerard's heart wretched and he shook his head. 

 

"Alright, sweetcakes, I see how it is. I see you watching everyone though, it's rude to stare, you should be careful or someone might take it wrong and punish you for it."

 

"Just watching to see how things work here."

 

"Ah, need anything explained?"

 

Gerard thought about it for a minute and nodded. It couldn't hurt to ask, and Bert seemed friendly enough.

 

"How do people have stuff to trade?"

 

"Ah, well when they first get here they get it through doing favours for people. A lot of it is kind of smuggled in but as long as it's not illegal or dangerous the guards look the other way. When someone leaves they might divide what they aren't taking with them amongst their friends in here or if they hit death row their stuff is either thrown out or given to the members of his cellblock. Just depends." 

 

"Oh...favours?" 

 

"You looking to get something?"

 

"Um...I kind of thought...about trying to get some paper and a pencil."

 

  
"Pencil won't happen but I do occasionally see a piece of crayon or uncovered arty crap charcoal go through here. What you need that for?"

 

Gerard shrugged. 

 

"Well I'll see what I can find and you just be ready to pay for it when I bring it back to you, ok?"

 

"How? I don't have anything."

 

"Well then either you start doing favours and earning some or we can work it out with a favour when I find it for you. Alright?"

 

Gerard wasn't as sure but Bert was offering to help so how could he really say no. He nodded and Bert grinned before heading back off to converse with the others, hopefully trying to find something for Gerard. He hoped that 'favours' didn't mean the same thing it did in the movies. That couldn't be real, right? Gerard shuddered. He may be gay but he had boundaries. He watched Bert for a while and then lost track of him. Soon they were rounded up and brought back to their cell block. Gerard crawled onto his cot and sighed. 

  
~~~~~   


  
Frank got down to eight and looked in each cell as he passed, Bert was up to something but when was he not. It didn't look major so he wasn't worried. Gabe and Pete were talking to each other quietly as their cells were beside each other. He didn't know the others really until he got down to ten. He was sitting on his bed and he looked up at Frank when he stopped in front of the door. 

 

"Well, how'd it go today? Make any friends?"

 

Ten shrugged but didn't look as bad as he'd been. 

 

"You eat today?"

 

He nodded and Frank smiled. 

 

"Good. Dinner will be soon, ok?"

 

He nodded again and Frank was happy with the response. He looked down at Bob as he walked back a bit to stand in his spot. It was pretty quiet. Bob came over to him for a bit to talk but Bert's cell got quiet for a bit so he went back to check on him and apparently he was taking a nap. 

 

Dinner came around and they lined them all up, even ten. They took them up to the mess hall and Frank smiled as he watched ten go up like the others, him knowing the drill proved to Frank that he had eaten today and that was a good sign. Bert hooked his arm around ten and led him over to a table, though, and this worried Frank a little bit but hopefully if he made friends with Bert then people would leave him alone at least. 

  
  
~~~~~

  
  
"I found you some scraps of paper, nothing great just blank forms that were misprinted but the back of them are blank and I even managed to get you a stick of graphite. It's messy but it's better than charcoal and it's close enough to a pencil without being deemed dangerous." 

 

"Wow, thank you."

 

Bert grinned at Gerard and leaned in closer to him. 

 

"I'll give them to you tomorrow, during our free time, after you pay up. Ok?"

 

Gerard nodded warily and shifted uncomfortably. 

 

"So, how long you got?"

 

Bert asked him. 

 

"Uh...five years." 

 

"Huh, and they put you in here? Odd. Happens though."

 

"What about you?"

 

"I'm a twenty-five to lifer. There are a lot of us here."

 

"What the hell did you do?" 

 

"Well, let's just say that the cops are not as fond of my games as I am and I was winning for a long time and then all of a sudden it was game over for me." 

 

"Games?"

 

"I'm sure you'll figure it out eventually so I won't ruin the fun by telling you just yet."

 

Gerard looked down at his food and tried to eat as much of it as he could. He gave what was left to Bert who seemed offended by the idea of him wasting food. They were taken back to their cells and told it was lights out. Gerard crawled into his cot and curled up but didn't much want to sleep. It found him anyways though, eventually. 

 

  
~~~~~   


  
Free time took forever to arrive and Gerard couldn't decide if that was good or bad. Bert was waiting for him when it did come and no one seemed to notice when he dragged him away. It took Gerard a minute to figure out that they were in a cleaning supplies closet. His confusion didn't last long. He realized he'd more than likely been right about what kind of favour Bert wanted from him. Bert was way too close to him and he tried to move away. Surely they weren't allowed out of the guards' sight like this. 

 

"I think it's time to give me that favour so you can have your stuff. I've been waiting for this. You ever sucked someone off before?"

 

Gerard started to panic in his head. No, he hadn't and he didn't want to right now. Not like this. Bert got impatient quickly. 

 

"It's not that complicated of a question. You've either sucked a dick or you haven't."

 

Gerard shook his head. 

 

"Well good thing it's not that hard to do and I'm too fucking pent up to care how bad you are at it. Unlike you, I'm not getting out of here so this is all I'm getting. This is the price for your paper and graphite, you either pay or the price is higher next time you ask for something."

 

Gerard's heart seized at the implications of what that meant. He wanted the drawing stuff and he really wanted to avoid the higher price. Bert frowned at him when he didn't do anything. 

 

"You waiting for an invitation?"

 

Bert unzipped his own jumpsuit as Gerard sank to his knees in defeat. 

 

"Maybe if you're good I'll let you cum too." 

 

Gerard didn't care, he just wanted this over with. Bert was a little shorter than he was but Gerard knew his own strength and there was no way he was fighting this one. Bert grinned as he opened Gerard's mouth with his thumb and stroked himself. 

 

"You've got such a pretty little mouth."

  
  
~~~~~   


  
Frank wasn't sure how he felt about the smile on Bert's face when he got there. 

 

"Hey, Frankie baby, how's it going today?"

 

"Do I even want to know what you've been up to today?"

 

"Probably not."

 

Bert grinned and Frank shook his head as he walked past his cell. He check on each of them. Pete was reading a book he'd had forever. Gabe was...yeah never mind what Gabe was doing as Frank walked past. It was normal and Gabe had no shame. It wasn't uncommon, not like they ever had total privacy. Frank got down to ten and watched him for a second. He was drawing something and Frank wondered where he'd gotten the paper. 

 

"Hey, bring that thing you're drawing with here for a second."

 

He knew he had to check it, make sure it wouldn't hurt anyone. Ten jumped but did as he was told, holding it out for Frank to see it was just a thin stick of graphite. Harmless and too easily breakable to use as much of a weapon. 

 

"Alright, you're good. What are you drawing?"

 

"Uh...comic book characters..."

 

"Can I see?"

 

He nodded and grabbed the paper he'd been working on. He was making use of as much of the page as he could which made Frank worry about the price in him getting the paper. He put his hand through the bars to take the paper from ten. He looked at it and smiled, some of the characters he knew and others he had a feeling were from ten's mind. 

 

"These are good, would be cool if you coloured them." 

 

"Can't really do that."

 

"Oh, I don't know. I've got a friend who is an artist, I'm sure she'd part with some of her old pastels if you want them."

 

"No, it's ok..." 

 

Ten looked down and Frank really worried about the price of this paper. 

 

"Where did you get this paper anyways?"

 

"Bert."

 

"Shit, that explains his mood then. He didn't hurt you did he?"

 

Frank watched ten's face as he shook his head and he didn't believe him. 

 

"I keep meaning to ask what your name is." 

 

"Why do you care?"

 

"Because I'd rather not have to keep thinking of you as 'ten'."

 

"Ten?"

 

"Your cell number. Cell Ten, Block Eight." 

 

"Oh...I still don't know why you care.You're a cop, you're not supposed to be friends with us."

 

"I'm a guard..."

 

"Same difference. You work in a prison, you're some kind of cop, and probably went to a police academy."

 

"Yeah so? All I did was ask what your name is."

 

"What's your name?"

 

"Frank."

 

"Gerard."

 

"Well hello, Gerard. Good to see you've come out of your little funk you were in when you got here." 

 

Gerard shrugged and Frank wasn't sure what he thought of the new attitude. Though he supposed that maybe it was only new to him. Frank looked down at Bob who nodded.

 

"Dinner time, let's go."

 

Frank unlocked the door and let him out. When they got into the mess hall and got their dinner Gerard actually shied away from Bert at first but something be said to the taller man seemed to change his mind.  They sat close together and others joined them. Frank wasn't totally sure what was going on but he shook his head and watched Pete almost throw mashed potatoes at Gabe but when he saw the look Frank gave him he stopped and ate them instead.    


  
~~~~~   


  
Frank pulled up to his apartment building and sighed. He went up the elevator and smiled at the door across from his being open. It was eight in the morning and she knew when he got home. He poked his head in and saw her sitting cross legged on the floor with a painting in front of her. 

 

"Hey, Lindsay."

 

"Morning, Frankie, how was your shift?"

 

"Oh the usual. Bunch of criminals doing what they do. Whatcha painting?"

 

"A cat."

 

Frank smiled and shook his head. Then he remembered Gerard. 

 

"Hey, Lindsay...do you have any like old, almost used up or broken pastels you'd be willing to part with?"

 

"I might, why?"

 

"One of the one's in my block is an artist and I thought I'd be nice. He was drawing today and I though he'd like some colour."

 

"Oh, ok sure."

 

She got up and went over to her cabinet. She pulled out a little box and handed it to Frank.

 

"Some of them are still kind of brand new but I found I don't like the chalk pastels so he can have them."

 

"Awe, that's sweet of you."

 

Frank chuckled and kissed her cheek as he took them. He opened it and looked. They looked fine for the prison. They'd be allowed. 

 

"Perfect, I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

 

"Good, now get. You need sleep and I have work to do."

 

"Yes ma'am."

 

Frank laughed as she shooed him and he headed to his own apartment. He set the pastels on the coffee table and flopped on the couch to pass out for a few hours.    


  
~~~~~   


  
Gerard sighed as free time came around. Bert had told him last night at dinner that he had an idea. As long as Gerard would put out for him and be his, and only his, then he'd protect him and make sure he didn't run out of paper or graphite. He didn't like the idea but Bert implied it was non-optional so he made peace with the idea that he'd probably spend a lot more time in that supply closet. Today proved that he was right. 

 

When the evening rolled around and Gerard kind of knew it was time for guard change he watched quietly. He'd been kind of rude to Frank yesterday and he wanted to apologize for it. When Frank did finally show up Gerard heard him talking to the other guard for a minute and then he came down to Gerard's cell. 

 

"Hello Gerard, how'd today go?"

 

"Good, I kind of wanted to apologize for being rude to you yesterday. You didn't do anything wrong."

 

"Well thanks, I accept your apology and I brought you something."

 

Frank pulled a little box out of where it was tucked inside his bulletproof vest. He handed it to Gerard who opened it and saw chalk pastels. Some used but most of them still new. 

 

"Frank...did you sneak these in here?"

 

"No, they were approved. I just tucked them in my vest so the other inmates wouldn't see them." 

 

"These are too nice, I can't..."

 

"Yes you can, they're a gift and she said she didn't like them anyways so you could have them."

 

"Isn't there like a rule about confidentiality or something?"

 

"She knows nothing other than that one of the guys on my block right now is an artist. That's it. The vaguest of vague lack of detail there ever was. I know my loopholes. As long as I don't disclose information about you, what you did, or specific details about your time in here I'm good."

 

"Oh...ok, I guess that makes sense."

 

Frank smiled at him and Gerard couldn't help but smile back.

 

"Thank you, it was very nice of you to get these for me."

 

"No problem. I hope you like them." 

 

Gerard smiled happily for the first time in a while as Frank walked over to stand in his spot.    


  
~~~~~   


  
Gerard was a restless sleeper. Frank knew that, but when he got put on block eight for a second week he grew concerned when one night Gerard made a little more noise in his sleep than normal. He didn't want him to wake up the others so he went down to check on him and frowned when he saw Gerard gripping his pillow tightly, his face contorted and pained whimpers slipping past his lips. Frank quietly unlocked the door and slipped inside. He went over to Gerard and shook him a little. He wouldn't wake up at first so Frank did it again and he woke up with a scream. Frank clamped his hand over Gerard's mouth and heard a tap on the bars. He looked over at Bob. 

 

"Nightmare."

 

Bob nodded and went back to his spot as Frank let go of Gerard's mouth. Frank looked at him in concern. 

 

"Are you ok? Sorry, if you wake the others then they'll be a pain in the ass the rest of the night." 

 

Gerard nodded and buried his face in the pillow. 

 

"Wanna talk about it?" 

 

He shook his head and Frank sighed. 

 

"Nothing you could tell me could be any worse than anything else I've heard or seen in this place."

 

Gerard still shook his head but Frank realized he was also crying quietly. Frank sighed and knew he was breaking about a dozen rules and crossing just as many lines but he scooped Gerard up and hugged the man tight. His vest didn't allow for much comfort but he couldn't take it off so it'd have to do. 

 

"M-mikey deserved so m-much better."

 

Gerard muttered. Frank was pretty sure he wasn't meant to hear it. 

 

"Who's Mikey?"

 

Gerard wouldn't answer. 

 

"He one of your friends back home?"

 

Gerard shook his head. 

 

"He was my b-baby b-brother."

 

"Was? What happened?"

 

Gerard cried a little harder and shook his head. 

 

"Did you...?"

 

"N-no." 

 

"But he is dead?"

 

Gerard nodded weakly. 

 

"Come on, you can tell me."

 

Gerard shook his head again. Frank sighed and rested his chin on top of Gerard's head. He rocked them back and forth gently until Gerard fell asleep again. He tucked him back in and left the cell to go back to his spot. 

 

"Do we need to talk about the rules you just broke?" 

 

Bob was waiting for him.

 

"No, I know but his face...Bob...something is wrong. I can feel it."

 

"I won't say anything to the boss just...he's not just some guy, Frank, remember that."

 

"I know, but he is human and he is hurting."

 

Bob sighed.

 

"Just don't get attached, okay?"

 

"Why would I do that?"

 

Bob gave him a look. 

 

"Because he's cute and he's not an asshole like the rest of them, and you are already playing favourites with him."

 

Frank stuck out his tongue.

 

"So I brought him used pastels and kept him from waking everyone else up. It's not a big deal."

 

"Alright, I'm just warning you. Keep your  _ deal _ out of his..."

 

Bob gave him a look and Frank didn't like the implication. 

 

"You watch it or my  _ deal _ will be up yours, Bryar. I would never. I'm not a moron and I do value my job."

 

"That first bit doesn't sound half bad." 

 

"In your dreams."

 

Frank shook his head and shooed Bob away who chuckled and went back to his spot. Frank sighed heavily and leaned against the wall.   


  
~~~~~   


  
Frank didn't know how he'd got stuck on the morning shift the next week but he was still in eight so he'd deal. He supposed this was payback for not being put on eight for so long. He walked in to take over from the guy that'd taken his night shift with Bob for the night. Bob laughed at Frank who still wasn't quite ready to be awake if he was totally honest. Frank flipped him off and started checking each cell. They were all still asleep except for Gerard, who was sitting on his bed drawing again. 

 

"Whatcha working on?"

 

Gerard looked up in shock. 

 

"You're here early, I thought you were sick or something." 

 

"No, just got put on the morning shift for the week. It's all good."

 

"Oh, ok. Uh...just drawing, nothing important."

 

Gerard said and tucked his drawing away so Frank couldn't see it. He raised an eyebrow at Gerard but didn't question it. 

 

"Well, wake up call will be soon so get ready for breakfast, alright?"

 

Gerard nodded and Frank wandered back to his spot. He looked up to see who he was with and he didn't know the guy so he sighed and nodded when the guy tapped at his watch. They got them all up and ready before marching them up to the mess hall for breakfast. Gerard stuck close to Bert but something in his face bothered Frank. The other guard tapped on Frank's shoulder. 

 

"Boss says it's random check day."

 

Frank nodded and went back to watching the guys from eight. When they finished eating they usually went to do chores. Once a week it was laundry but today was just cleaning their block. So they went back down to eight but they weren't going to clean just yet. 

 

"Alright, random check day ladies, in your cells and wait your turn."

 

The other guy called as they put each of them in their cell to lock it. They started down at Bert's cell and the other guy kept his eye on Bert while Frank did the search. Then Frank kept an eye on Bert while the other guy patted him down to search Bert himself. For once they found nothing concerning. They went through each cell, only finding really minor things to be thrown out in Pete's cell. They got down to Gerard's and he looked scared. The other guard backed him into a corner while Frank began searching. He only found the art supplies. Gerard had nothing else. The other guy moved to pat him down and he squirmed away from him. 

 

"You got something to hide?"

 

"No."

 

Gerard said and he didn't look guilty just afraid. 

 

"He's not gonna hurt you he just has to search you, ok?"

 

Frank tried to look encouraging and Gerard looked from him to the other guy for a second before he nodded. This time he stayed still while he was search and the other guard frowned, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket. Frank frowned. He'd found all of the paper and drawings, why was this one important enough for Gerard to hide it on his person. He made a little protest noise as the guard opened it and looked at it. Frank could see it from here. It was just a drawing of a man, he was pretty and the drawing was well done. A lot of detail and time put into it. It was the drawing from this morning.

 

"Who is this?"

 

The guard demanded. Gerard was visibly shaking and upset. 

 

"My brother."

 

The guard looked at him for a minute and seemed to believe him. He gave the drawing back to him and nodded to Frank that they were good. They went back out but didn't lock the door. They brought them out to clean and kept an eye silently as they worked. When they were done they were taken down to the yard and Gerard wandered around the perimeter while the other's played basketball. Frank watched the game and tried really hard not to laugh when the ball bounced off the ring and hit Bert in the head. Bert grumbled and wrinkled his nose up at the ball before the game continued but it didn't seem to actually hurt him.

 

When they went inside for lunch Bert hooked his arm around Gerard and they went back to their table. Frank shook his head and watched, silently as always. 

 

Free time was always the worst. Keeping an eye on his nine inmates spread out in the mess of people was a task he did not enjoy in the slightest. He totally lost track of Bert  _ and _ Gerard, which worried him more than a little bit. Gerard didn't have anything but his art supplies so there was only one way he was paying for them and Frank worried about how consensual the arrangement may or may not be and whether or not Gerard was being hurt. 

 

It wasn't till towards the end of free time that he just caught sight of Bert coming out of a supply closet. Gerard came out only moments after him but something was wrong, he looked like he was in pain and Frank didn't have time to address that before they were lining them up and taking them back to their cells. Bert was as happy as could be and made some flirty comments to the other guard as he was pushed into his cell. Frank led Gerard down to ten and sighed. He looked back at the other guard and signalled that he was going in for a minute, the guard nodding and not really questioning it. He stepped into Gerard's cell after him and closed the door. Gerard jumped when he turned around to see Frank on this side of the bars.

 

"Uh...hi...?" 

 

"Gerard, you don't have to answer any question I ask you but I have to ask to I can be sure of your safety and well being. Not a lot of guards care but you don't seem like a bad guy so I'd hate to see something happen to you."

 

"What...why are you worried? Is something wrong?"

 

"Your art supplies, you said you got them from Bert?"

 

Gerard nodded and looked at Frank in confusion. 

 

"Gerard...you have nothing but your art supplies and Bert is not known for being generous. The guards know about the shit that goes on in here but it's not usually bad enough for us to intervene."

 

"What makes you think this is?"

 

"I'm not, I'm simply asking to make sure it isn't that bad. Your emotions show on your face and it tells a lot."

 

Gerard looked at the ground. 

 

"You can talk to me and if you don't want me to tell anyone or do anything I won't but I'd rather know you're ok than get a nasty shock one day if he hurts you."

 

Gerard looked like Frank had gotten to him a little bit. 

 

"All I need to ask is if he's hurting you, and if you one hundred percent willingly agreed to it. That means he didn't force you or bully you into it, because he's widely known for that too."

 

Gerard didn't say anything and kept his gaze on the floor. Frank didn't like the implication that could have.

 

"Gerard...?"

 

Gerard looked up at him and Frank tilted his head, waiting for any kind of a response. 

 

"He.....implied that it wasn't really optional...I thought...after the first time he'd leave me alone." 

 

Frank frowned and felt his heart sink. 

 

"How did you even...?"

 

"I saw you come out of the supply closet and you looked like you were in pain." 

 

"Oh...yeah, it's fine though."

 

"Gerard...before him had you ever...?"

 

Gerard shook his head. 

 

"You realize it's not actually supposed to hurt  _ that much _ , right? It's really not fine."

 

Gerard seemed confused at that. He clearly was not made aware of this and Frank grumbled internally that Bert had managed to make Gerard think that was normal. 

 

"Can you even sit?"

 

"Not...really...but it goes away."

 

"Seems like an awfully high price for some used paper and a little stick of graphite."

 

"He gets me new ones when I run out..." 

 

Frank shook his head and rubbed his hand over his face, this whole thing was giving him a headache. 

 

"And who are you to judge me. Like you said, I have nothing else to trade."

 

"Gerard...what was your sentence? Are you a lifer like him?"

 

"No...I'm here for five years." 

 

"Then don't put up with him. You're getting out of here."

 

"No...I'm not." 

 

"But you just said..." 

 

"Frank...in five years I get my call to death row. I'm not getting out of here like he thinks I am."

 

Frank's heart dropped.

 

"Wait...what? They said you were in here for murder. That doesn't usually get the death penalty here unless...Gerard...Bert was a serial killer and a rapist and he got life...what the hell did you do?"

 

"Bert was a WHAT?!"

 

"Shhhhhhhhh!"

 

Frank clamped his hand over Gerard's mouth.

 

"Yeah, what the hell did you think he did to get in here for life?"

 

Gerard looked panicked and scared, and he shrugged weakly. 

 

"Now...what did you do?"

 

"Did they not tell you?" 

 

"No, they don't unless we need to know."

 

Gerard raised an eyebrow. 

 

"That doesn't sound safe at all."

 

"It's not but that's why I wear the vest and carry the taser. All I know about you is that I was told that the new guy in eight was in for murder and that was all the detail I was given." 

 

Gerard sighed and looked at the floor again. 

 

"Something like that, yeah." 

 

He crawled onto his cot and winced as he sat on his pillow, trying to avoid it hurting Frank guessed. 

 

"I...killed a few people...cops got in the way and they ended up dying too. I couldn't plead innocent and my confession was enough for them. They decided I was unredeemable."

 

Gerard looked at his feet and Frank felt strangely nervous at the idea that Gerard killed not only multiple people but also police officers, but he shoved that feeling aside. He'd never known Gerard to be aggressive or dangerous. It didn't piece together right in Frank's head. Something was missing.

 

"Why?" 

 

Frank didn't know why he asked but it seemed to surprise Gerard too. Frank would be willing to bet his life savings that it was a question no one had bothered to ask him.

 

“Um...what do you mean  _ why _ ?”

 

“Why did you kill them? There is always some reason even if it’s just that they are mentally unstable. You don’t seem mentally unstable so there’s gotta be another reason.”

 

Gerard didn’t say anything, he just looked at Frank for a while. 

 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

 

Gerard looked down again and moved away from Frank subconsciously. 

 

“Yes, it does. The reasons people do things matter more than the things themselves usually.”

 

Frank sat down on the edge of the cot. Gerard jumped at the action and raised an eyebrow. He shook his head and Frank sighed heavily. He heard the other guard call that it was guard change time. He looked back at Gerard. 

 

“I’m not going to just drop this. I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

He got up and headed out the door, locking it behind him. He looked at Gerard who simply stared back uncertainly. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard curled up after dinner and his mind kept wandering back to Frank. The things he said. Some of it made Gerard’s mind spin. 

 

_ Gerard laughed as he won another fight, setting down his controller to stretch. Mikey cursed and grumbled loudly.  _

 

_ “I swear to god you cheat.” _

 

_ “I do no such thing. You just suck at this.” _

 

_ “Hell no, fucker.” _

 

_ Gerard laughed and shook his head.  _

 

_ “Come on, let’s go get some food and we can come back and have a rematch.” _

 

_ “Sure, I’ll kick your ass this time.” _

 

_ Gerard laughed and shook his head. They grabbed their jackets and headed down the street to their favourite pizza place. It was dark out but the street lights were bright enough that it didn’t bother them at all. They’d done it a million times before. They bumped into each other as they walked and giggled like children as it became a game. Gerard didn’t even notice the people step out of the shadows ahead of them until one of them grabbed his arm and restrained him against them.  _

 

_ “Hey! Let go of me.”  _

 

_ Gerard squirmed and looked around to see Mikey pinned against a wall with a gun at his throat and a wannabe thug looking idiot in front of him.  _

 

_ “Mikey!” _

 

_ Gerard could see the panic in his brother’s eyes. He fought against the grip on his arms, but the hands only held on tighter. The man in front of Mikey leaned in and whispered something in his ear before he grinned. Time seemed to stand still and move too fast at the same time as the thunderous bang rang in his ears and he was dropped on the ground. As fast as they showed up, they disappeared, leaving Gerard on the ground to cry as he crawled over to his little brother. He could see the blood and he knew before he even saw his face that he was dead. His heart hurt and he hugged Mikey tight as he wept. He didn’t know when people had come out but the rest was a blur. Mikey was taken away from him and police demanded answers from Gerard. He tried to tell them what he saw but they shook their heads, not placing a lot of value in what Gerard said because of how upset and emotional he was.  _

 

Gerard wrapped his arms tightly around himself as the memory replayed itself in his head. He wished so much that it would stop but it never did. Haunting him every night like it was trying to prove a point. He shut his eyes tight but that didn’t block it out, if anything it made it so much worse. 

 

He didn’t like what his life had become but he couldn’t change it. Frank told him not to just let Bert have his way but how was Gerard supposed to fight him. Drawing was about the only thing that was keeping him sane right now and Bert gave him that. He couldn’t fight him even if he wanted to. He’d tried today and that was part of why Bert was rougher than usual with him. He was more than sure there was blood and bruises but he couldn’t bring himself to look. He was always brutal with Gerard but that was so much worse. Gerard shuddered at what Frank had told him about Bert. He should have known it was something like that. The thought of what his games were that the police didn’t like became all that much more repulsive. Gerard wanted to trust Frank but he couldn’t. Frank wasn’t always here and he was just a stupid guard that obviously thought he was going some great thing by helping Gerard. 

 

Gerard curled in on himself more and tried to push all of it out of his head. He knew he couldn’t but even for a little while would be ok with him right about now. He just wanted sleep. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank hummed to himself as he got ready for work. He was still really unsure about yesterday but humming made him feel better. He wanted to help Gerard at least get away from Bert but his mind get tugging back to the fact that Gerard was headed for death row, not freedom. It hurt to think about that too much. Gerard seemed far too nice and gentle to deserve such a thing. It was hard to believe that he’d killed more than one person and that some were cops. 

 

Frank sighed in frustration and headed out. When he got to work he paused after Ray let him through. He had to look at something...or try. He headed up to the office and Jamia looked up at him. 

 

“Well hello, Iero, how can I help you?”

 

“I’m concerned about an inmate and I wanted to see his file before I say anything or assume anything. Do you think you could do that for me?”

 

“I don’t know, Frank, I’m not really supposed to divulge that kind of personal information to just anyone.”

 

“He’s one of the ones in the cell block I’m on right now and it’s a safety concern, I promise I won’t tell anyone, I just need to be reasonably sure.”

 

Jamia looked at him for a second and nodded slowly. She knew Frank. She was Nestor’s sister and he was friends with Evan. 

 

“Do you know his number?”

 

“No, I know his first name and his cell. That’s it.”

 

“That should be enough.”

 

“Gerard. Cell Ten, Block Eight.”

 

Jamia nodded and searched through the files in the eighth drawer. She pulled one out and handed it to Frank. He nodded his thanks and went to sit in a chair to read it, he knew he couldn’t take it anywhere with him. He opened it and sighed heavily. 

 

_ Gerard Arthur Way - Born April 9th, 1977 _

 

Frank raised an eyebrow, he was a bit younger than Frank. He wasn’t sure why this surprised him but it did. He read over his file and he felt more and more unsure of how to feel. It was a very cold report and it didn’t describe the man he’d spent almost three weeks watching. It read like a bad episode of CSI. 

 

_ Way was found in a building having killed four members of a major crime organization. One was still alive when police arrived on the scene. When they tried to intervene Way shot three officers and proceeded to shoot the last hostage, point blank range. Only then was he apprehended. He didn’t put up a fight and went quietly. When put on trial Way confessed and plead guilty to all charges including five counts of first degree murder and three counts of second degree murder. He faces five years in a high security prison pending humane termination. There is no known next of kin as the only one listed, a Michael James Way, is recorded to have died three months earlier. _

 

Frank shut the report, setting it aside and hiding his face in his hands. He groaned at the thought of Gerard doing that kind of thing on his own. It didn’t seem right to Frank, there still had to be a reason. Something Frank was missing. He handed the file back to Jamia and stopped. 

 

“Can I ask one more favour of you?”

 

“Depends on what it is.” 

 

“Evan has told you about #953621?”

 

Jamia looked up the number and nodded, the look on her face turning to one of pure disgust. 

 

“Well judging by that face I feel confident in asking if you could report an anonymous tip from a guard about inmates complaining about excessive aggressive behaviour from him.”

 

Frank didn’t have to wait, she was already pulling out the paper to write it up. 

 

“It’ll be the first thing the Boss sees when he gets here.”

 

Jamia scrawled it out and Frank smiled, leaning over the desk to kiss her forehead. She beamed proudly at him as he headed out of the office. He felt a little better walking down to eight. He wouldn’t have to wait long, he knew that much. He quietly walked down to his spot. They were all still sleeping except Gerard again, Frank began to wonder what the nightmares really were. He didn’t have time to wonder for long though because apparently the Boss had gotten in early today. The little walkie on Frank’s belt that never made any noise blipped at him. It only brought orders from the main office. Frank pulled it off his belt and clicked the button on the side. 

 

“Iero speaking, what’s up Boss?” 

 

“Cell One, Block Eight. Inmate #953621. Remove him from his cell and have him ready. Toro will be down with Dewees to escort him to solitary for a while, he’s in need of a cool off I’m told.”

 

Frank smiled faintly. Jamia was a blessing and he’d have to remember to bring her a good breakfast and some coffee tomorrow. 

 

“Right away, sir.”

 

Frank clicked the button again and moved down to his partner. 

 

“Looks like the dick in one is being put in the tank to chill out for a bit.”

 

The other guard chuckled and shook his head. 

 

“Bout time someone complained about him.”

 

The other guard opened up Bert’s cell, who was still sound asleep. 

 

“Awe isn’t he sweet when he’s not awake?”

 

His voice thick with sarcasm, Frank snickered and made a gagging noise before swinging his foot out and kicking the edge of the bed. Bert jumped and looked at Frank and the other guard in confusion. 

 

“Wait...only one of you calls me for breakfast…”

 

“Well you ain’t going to breakfast today, buddy, so get up and let’s move.”

 

The other guard motioned for Bert to move his ass. 

 

“Wait, no, what is going on?”

 

“Looks like someone had enough of your shit finally and you’re going in solitary for a bit.”

 

Bert protested as the other guard got him up out of bed and cuffed his hands behind his back, but he was smart enough not to fight it. When Toro and Dewees got there Bert was already ready for them to take him. 

 

They rounded the others up for breakfast and Gerard looked around for Bert, becoming confused when he realized he wasn’t there. Frank kept an eye on Gerard at breakfast but he just quietly sat by himself. Chores and outside time passed the same as they did every day, lacking the sarcastic jokes from Bert but otherwise normal. After lunch they took them back to their cells and Frank stopped in front of Gerard’s cell. Not going inside this time, just standing outside because he knew it’d look strange if he went in again today. It took Gerard a minute to realize Frank was there. 

 

“Oh...hi. Where is Bert?”

 

“Solitary.” 

 

“Did you have something to do with that?”

 

Gerard looked at him accusingly. 

 

“And if I did?” 

 

Frank gave him a small smile, he couldn’t admit it outright or he’d get in shit but Gerard would know. Gerard shook his head and sighed as he sat on his bed. 

 

“He was supposed to bring me more paper today.”

 

“He’ll be gone for a few days. I’ll bring you some paper tomorrow.”

 

“You don’t have to do that.”

 

“And if I want to?” 

 

“At least I know why Bert does it.”

 

Frank frowned. 

 

“Would you rather I asked for something in trade?”

 

“It would make more sense.”

 

Gerard shrugged. 

 

“Can I have an answer then? That is my trade. One answer for some drawing paper.” 

 

“Answer to what?”

 

“Why you did it?”

 

Gerard shook his head and curled in on himself.

 

“I told you I wasn’t going to just drop this, Gerard, you don’t seem like the kind of person that’d kill eight people with no solid reason.”

 

Gerard looked up at him.

 

“I never gave you a number.”

 

“I...read your file, I’ve got a friend in the office. There isn’t much but it said five people and three cops. I needed something to go off of with you being uncooperative.”

 

“Why do you even care?”

 

“Because I’m not partial to watching an innocent man walk to his death.” 

 

Gerard stopped and looked at him.

 

“I’m not innocent, we both know that much.” 

 

“Like I said, it depends on why you did it.”

 

Gerard shook his head and hugged his knees tight to his chest. 

 

“Go away please.”

 

Frank sighed and nodded quietly. 

 

“You know where I am if you do want to talk. There should at least be someone that knows your story when you’re gone.”

 

Frank wandered back over to his spot to wait till the night shift came in. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank grabbed the bag off the counter that he needed today and headed out the door to go to work. When he got there Ray raised an eyebrow at him but okayed it and let him through.

 

“Well I guess I’ve seen worse be brought in.”

 

Frank laughed and shook his head. 

 

“Breakfast and one of the coffees is for Jamia, other coffee is for me.”

 

“And you didn’t bring me one you bugger?”

 

“Nope.”

 

Frank laughed as Ray grumbled at him and went up to the office. 

 

“Ah, Jam, I brought you a treat.”

 

He set the food and coffee in front of her.

 

“Oh well aren’t you sweet. Thank you, Frankie.”

 

She smiled up at him and hugged him awkwardly from her chair. Frank half-ass hugged her back before heading down to eight. Sure enough when he got there Gerard was already awake. He was trying to cram another drawing in at the edge of an already full page. 

 

“You know...that’s just gonna make it look messy.”

 

Gerard looked up at Frank and shrugged until he say the paper in his hand. 

 

“But...I didn’t give you an answer.”

 

“I was going to bring you the paper either way. The trade was more for you. I told you why I was doing this.”

 

Gerard shook his head and got off the bed to wander over to the bars. Frank put his hand through with the paper and let Gerard take it. He smiled as he watched Gerard’s face light up at the brand new unused printer paper. 

 

“It’s not much but it’s what I had.”

 

“It’s more than I could get in here.”

 

“True. Do you like coffee?”

 

Gerard perked up at the mention of coffee and nodded. 

 

“I can’t give it to you but you can have a few sips of mine if you don’t mind almond milk.”

 

“Almond milk?”

 

“I’m lactose intolerant, alright, I’m pretty sure you’d prefer me with almond milk.” 

 

Gerard snickered and nodded. Frank held the travel mug of coffee up to the bars and let Gerard take a few big sips. He groaned as if it was the best thing he’d ever had but Frank figured that Gerard was probably just as much of a coffee addict as he was. 

 

“Loves coffee, noted.” 

 

He grinned and Gerard stuck his tongue out at him. Frank couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped him. Gerard was adorable when he wasn’t trying to hide. 

 

“What is with the look?”

 

Gerard raised an eyebrow at him and Frank realized that he must be smiling like an idiot. He shook his head. 

“Nothing, get ready for breakfast call.”

 

Frank walked back down to his spot but Gerard didn’t move. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard woke up early as usual and his mind wandered off to the possibility of Frank bringing coffee with him again. The almond milk wasn’t bad, he kind of liked it. Even just learning something small like a lactose intolerance about Frank was so strange to Gerard. No one here talked like that or got to know each other. Gerard pulled out the paper Frank had brought him and started sketching. He wasn’t drawing anything in particular but it ended up turning into Frank. He remembered his face so clearly. The way his jaw was angled, the way he looked when he hadn’t shaved for a day or two, the little whispers of tattooing poking up past his clean cut button down uniform shirt collar. The faint scars left obviously from several piercings probably removed upon going to the Police Academy. Gerard sketched it out as he remembered it in his mind and was happy with the sketch he ended up with. He smiled at it and jumped when he heard someone clear their throat outside his cell. He looked up and saw Frank with the travel mug he’d had yesterday. Gerard got up and moved towards the door but Frank stopped him. It was then that Gerard realized Frank had been in the middle of opening his door. He backed up to let Frank walk in. 

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to be…”

 

“No, it’s alright, you didn’t see that the door was open.” 

 

“Still. What brings you this side of the door today?”

 

“I’m early because I forgot about daylight savings last night and I brought coffee. The night guy was super happy to get to go home early so you’re stuck with me for a whole extra hour today.”

 

“Well you brought coffee so I see no problem with that.”

 

Frank smiled and handed Gerard the coffee, who happily accepted it and sipped at the scalding liquid carefully. He sat back down on his cot and left space for Frank. He watched Frank try to sit comfortably but the vest made it a little difficult for him. he noticed Gerard’s drawing though and picked it up to look at it. 

 

“I...um…”

 

Gerard tried to think of an explanation but he had nothing. 

 

“This is awesome, Gerard.”

 

Frank smiled and Gerard was a little surprised he wasn’t mad, but grateful. 

 

“I’m back on nights on monday, don’t know what cell block I’ll get but maybe this one again. They seem to be paying me back for a long time of avoiding this block so it wouldn’t surprise me.” 

 

Gerard chuckled and shook his head, sipping at the coffee and humming in appreciation. Gerard’s mind started to wander as he watched Frank adjust the straps on his vest. Mikey’s face imprinted behind his eyes and the vests that the officers he killed wore made the tears spill over and burn down his cheeks. Frank looked up at him and frowned. Gerard tried to look down and hide it but Frank caught his chin in his hand. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“Those men...they were just...d-doing their jobs.” 

 

Gerard looked down and Frank sighed. 

 

“You mean the officers?”

 

Gerard nodded. 

 

“Gerard...you…”

 

Frank didn’t know, he couldn’t form anything to cheer Gerard up so he did what was easier and pulled him into a hug. Gerard tried to let him but it was difficult. Frank seemed bothered by it too. 

 

“Hold on.” 

 

He muttered and let go of Gerard for a second. It took a minute for Gerard to realize what he was doing. 

 

“No! Frank, you’re supposed to leave that on, you’ll get in trouble.”

 

“I’ll only get in trouble if they find out. You won’t hurt me so they won’t know.” 

 

Frank pulled the vest off and set it on the floor by his feet. 

 

“Technically I’m not supposed to bring you coffee or hug you either.” 

 

Gerard supposed that was true but he couldn’t get over how weird Frank looked without the vest. He knew Frank was short but he looked smaller without the vest, more gentle. More of his tattoos were visible and Gerard noticed that he actually had them on his hands too. Frank pulled him into a hug again and it felt nice, warm, soft, and safe. Frank was muscled but that was sort of hidden, you could feel it more than see it. Gerard snuggled into him and let the warmth drown out the pain. They stayed like that for a bit until Frank let go of him. Gerard looked at Frank and his throat tightened but he pushed out the sound anyways. 

 

“Mikey.”

 

Frank stopped and looked at him with an eyebrow arched.

 

“What?”

 

“You asked why I did it.”

 

“Mikey? Your brother? What does he have to do with it?”

 

Gerard took a deep shaky breath and breathed out slowly, trying not to cry anymore.

 

“They...the other people...were the ones that killed him.” 

 

“Wait...your brother was killed?” 

 

Gerard nodded. 

 

“The report just said he’d died three months before you…”

 

He nodded again.

 

“I spent those three months running. They shot him in the middle of the sidewalk out in the open, they went specifically for him. I barely made it through his funeral...burying my little brother…”

 

Gerard started to tear up again and he tried so hard to push it away. 

 

“And when I finally pushed through all of that on my own they were waiting, they came after me. So I figured out who they were and fought back. They said I’d held those men hostage but it wasn’t true, I couldn’t have if I wanted to, the gun wasn’t even mine, it was one of theirs.”

 

“Wait so they cornered you?”

 

Gerard nodded. 

 

“And you fought back, killing them.”

 

Gerard furrowed his brows at the look on Frank’s face. 

 

“Gerard...that’s not called first degree murder, that’s self defense. First degree murder is premeditated. If you had gone out, got the gun, found them and  _ planned it _ that would be murder. You defended yourself against the bastards that killed your brother and tried to do the same to you. It just happened to end with you winning.”

 

“Doesn’t make a difference.”

 

“Yes it does. Gerard, you did kill them, so you would do five to ten years I think. Maybe life because of the cops but you wouldn’t be facing a death sentence. You are innocent of the crime you are accused of.” 

 

“I can’t do anything about it, Frank, I confessed and they sentenced me…”

 

“They can go back and look at the case, reevaluate it if new evidence is brought to light. They can change your sentence and fix this.”

 

“Frank…”

 

“I’m not letting you die for something you didn’t do.”

 

Gerard could hear it, he could hear the sound in Frank’s voice. He  _ cared  _ about Gerard. He barely knew him and for some reason he genuinely cared. 

 

“Well then you have four years and eleven months to save me.” 

 

Gerard didn’t know what to feel about the fact that he might not be counting down to his death. Frank nodded and looked really uncertain for a minute before he leaned in and kissed Gerard gently. Gerard jumped in surprise but he liked it. He pushed into the kiss and whined a little when Frank pulled away. Frank looked at his watch. 

 

“Breakfast call is soon.”

 

Frank picked up his vest and started putting it back on, fastening and tightening it as he went till it was a snug barrier between him and the occupants of the prison again. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank got home and flopped on his couch, Bert had been back out of solitary for about a week after he’d been in for a week and he was none too happy about it. Frank found out he was in so long because he kept causing issues. When Frank was warned that Bert was coming back he got worried about Gerard. He wouldn’t be there in the day to look out for him. He’d gone to cell eight, he didn’t know the inmate well but he’d been there a while and never caused much problems but the other inmates also wouldn’t bother with him because he was bigger than them. 

 

_ Frank looked into the cell and sighed.  _

 

_ “Hey.” _

 

_ The inmate looked up at him and rolled his eyes.  _

 

_ “What do you want?” _

 

_ “I need to ask a favour of you.” _

 

_ The inmate furrowed his brows and watched Frank.  _

 

_ “What’s your name?” _

 

_ “Worm. That’s what people call me.” _

 

_ “Ok...I’m not sure I want to know. Worm...you’re not like...Bert…” _

 

_ “No, I hate that little bastard. He’s a scumbag of the lowest order. And if you mean are my crimes similar to him then that is also a no. I’m in here for grand theft...ten years.” _

 

_ “Perfect. I need you to look after Gerard for me, don’t let Bert near him.” _

 

_ “Ten? The one that rarely speaks?”  _

 

_ “Yeah.” _

 

_ “Dude, you want me to get between Bert and his little piece of ass? Are you nuts?” _

 

_ Frank all but growled at the guy.  _

 

_ “Oh. I see. Yeah, no problem, I’ll look after your boyfriend.” _

 

_ “He’s not...Bert has been abusing him and Gerard doesn’t need that. He’s...you…” _

 

_ “Dude, relax. You know I hear you every time you open his door right? I can’t hear what you say but I know you’re in there. And I won’t say anything. Chill. I’ll stick to him like glue if that’s what you want but what am I getting out of this?” _

 

_ “You get to watch Bert squirm when he can’t have what he wants.” _

 

_ “Deal. Entertainment. You know what you’re doing.” _

 

_ “I’ve been here longer than you have. Entertainment is the highest valued currency.” _

 

_ “Fair enough.” _

 

Frank at least knew that Gerard would be safe from Bert and so far Worm had kept his word. Gerard didn’t even seem to mind his new friend. It wasn’t until Frank walked past several intense discussions about comics and D&D that he figured out why. He chuckled and shook his head as he kept walking. He’d found Gerard a guardian and a friend and that thought made him happy. 

 

Frank picked up his laptop and opened it to check his emails, looking for a response that hadn’t arrived yet. He’d gone over files and reports and new articles but was still gathering things. Right now he was merely starting with the death of Michael Way. Some reports called it an accident and others called it a brutal unsolved murder. It made Frank’s head spin and he had only just barely scratched the surface of what was going on. He had Jamia helping him look into some things. Once he told her what was going on she’d insisted he let her help and he knew he could trust her. She was looking reports and trying to find any material she could give Frank linked to any of the names or places connected with Mikey’s murder and Gerard’s assault, which is what they were calling it because anything else was inaccurate. He read over report after report and had nothing. He knew he had time but upon looking into Gerard’s report further and delving past all the red tape and fine print that he had  _ up to _ five years. Not a definite five years. This made Frank’s heart sink when he found it but he was determined to find the proof he needed before then. Everyday he dreaded walking into cell block eight and finding that Gerard was gone. 

 

The prison had changed the guards’ policy as well, finding the moving around guards every week too confusing and not at all helpful, which Frank could have told them years ago, but they’d stuck everyone in the cellblock they knew best. They said that knowing the inmates’ behaviour would help to control them. Frank doubted that but he didn’t mind being on cell block eight permanently. He got to spend nights with Gerard at least. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard didn’t even realize anything was wrong until the shouting became so loud you could’ve heard it from eight. He’d been here almost a year and he’d grown used to fights and nonsense, and tuning it out. So when a fight broke out at dinner he minded his own business. That is until more guards got involved and started yelling about hospital wings. He frowned and looked up at the commotion to see what was going on and saw them hauling two inmates away from each other and some more guards carrying away a guard covered in blood. He saw Bob come over to gather up eight but he didn’t see Frank anywhere. Bob got Worm to help him gather up his fellow inmates and they were all led back to their cell block. Bob locked his door and went to walk away but Gerard caught his sleeve. Bob looked at his grip on him and frowned. 

 

“Come on, that’s not gonna help you any. If someone else sees that you’re gonna get in shit. Let go.”

 

“I just wanted to ask you where Frank is, I promise.”

 

Bob furrowed his brows and sighed. 

 

“He was the guard that got stabbed. I’ll let you know if I hear anything but it didn’t look good. I know he’s helped you out a bit.” 

 

Gerard’s heart dropped.

 

“He...but...why?”

 

“A fight broke out in front of where he was standing. When that happens it’s our job to step in and he did and one of the boys from three had a weapon he shouldn’t have. They’ll fix him up. He might be off work for a little bit but he should be ok if the pricks didn’t hit anything vital.”

 

Bob wiggled his sleeve out of Gerard’s grip and squeezed his hand gently trying to reassure him. When he walked off to stand in his spot Gerard saw another guard come to fill in Frank’s and he shook his head as he sat down on the floor with his back up against the wall. Frank had to be ok. 

 

~~~~~

 

“Lynz, I fucking swear I am going to smack you, I’m not a cripple. I can fucking make toast goddammit.”

 

“You were  _ stabbed _ , and you were given orders to rest. I am here to make sure you do and you’re not supposed to be moving around so much so go back to the couch before I pick you up and carry you back over there.”

 

Lynz stared hard at Frank and he grumbled as he went to do as he was told. He gingerly curled back up on the couch only to be hit in the back of the head with a ball of paper. He stretched out and laid properly on the couch, looking over at Lynz pointedly as he did it. She smiled when he settled in and went back to making him food. He leaned his head back and grumbled until he felt his phone go off under him. He jumped and pulled it out, looking at the screen. It was just Bob. 

 

**Bob: Dude...10 is being...he didn’t eat today.**

 

Frank frowned and rubbed his hand over his face. 

 

**Frank: Did you tell him I’m ok?**

 

**Bob: I told him you would be as soon as it happened.**

 

**Frank: That’s not the same thing. Tell him I’m fine and that my artist friend is fussing over me and won’t let me hurt myself any further.**

 

**Bob: Alright. Hopefully he’ll eat dinner and hopefully you come back soon.**

 

Frank sighed and leaned his head against the back of the couch. Bob would be just heading in for work. Frank had been given orders that he was out of work for a month. Two weeks total rest and the next two weeks slowly getting back into being active. He was not fond of it but it did mean he had infinite time to try and find Gerard’s ticket out of there. He picked up his laptop and flipped it open, only to have Lynz take it away and put a plate of food in his lap. 

 

“God fucking dammit, Lynz, you’re not going to be allowed to come back.”

 

“You love me and you know it, shush and eat.”

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard curled up on his cot. Worm had been taken to some meeting thing today and it happened during free time. Leaving Gerard alone...and at the mercy of Bert. He showed no mercy though, and Gerard couldn’t help the tears both from the pain and from the humiliation of his not even trying to fight Bert. He wanted Frank to come back. He’d been gone about a month now and every new day that he didn’t show up was like someone kicked him in the gut. Bob said he was ok, that a friend was taking care of him, but that didn’t make Gerard feel any better. He wanted to see Frank, here, in front of him so he could see that he was really ok. 

 

“Hey you.”

 

Gerard bolted upright at the sound of the familiar voice and immediately regretted it as the pain shot through him. He heard the door open and felt hands on his shoulders steadying him, he looked up to see Frank’s face in front of him. 

 

“Frank, you’re here and you’re ok.”

 

“Yeah, did Bob not tell you I was alright?”

 

“He did but I didn’t really believe him.” 

 

Frank shook his head and hugged Gerard. 

 

“What’s the matter? What hurts? You have been eating, right?”

 

“Yeah, Bob wouldn’t let me stay here.”

 

“Well then what’s wrong?”

 

Gerard shook his head and leaned into Frank’s shoulder as the pain didn’t really go away.

 

“Gerard…”

 

Frank said menacingly and Gerard squeaked at the sound. 

 

“Bert…”

 

He muttered and he could hear the growl in Frank’s chest.

 

“I thought Worm was looking after you.”

 

“He was, but he had a meeting thing today that they dragged him away to.”

 

“Meeting? Oh, he must have a visitor. Ok, how bad is it?”

 

Gerard shook his head and clung to Frank. 

 

“Gerard, you can tell me or I’ll assume and take you to the medical wing.”

 

“No! Needles!”

 

“Well then…”

 

“It just hurts, I...don’t think I was bleeding…’m not sure. But it’s starting to fade again. Was just the way I sat up.”

 

Frank grumbled and scooped Gerard up. 

 

“Wait...you said if I told you that you wouldn’t take me.”

 

“If it’s that bad then you need to go. I won’t let them get you with the needles but you gotta get looked at.”

 

“No…”

 

Gerard squirmed a little but that just made Frank hold on tighter so he wouldn’t drop him.

 

“Alright, alright. Gerard...if it doesn’t go away by the time I come back tomorrow night then I’m taking you up there whether you like it or not. Got it?”

 

Gerard nodded hesitantly and winced as Frank set him back down. He looked up to see Frank wince and groan. 

 

“Well what did you go and pick me up for then?”

 

Gerard shook his head and watched Frank carefully, making sure he hadn’t really hurt himself. 

 

“You think you’d have been able to walk the whole way?” 

 

“Well no.” 

 

“Exactly.”

 

Frank sat down on the edge of Gerard’s cot to catch his breath. 

 

“You shouldn’t be back yet if it still hurts that much.”

 

“No...you actually elbowed me.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

 

“It’s ok.” 

 

“Where did I hit you?” 

 

Frank gestured to a spot just in from his hip up to his ribcage.

 

“Just kind of that whole area.”

 

“I’m so sorry, Frank.”

 

“It’s fine, Gee.”

 

Gerard stopped and sucked in a breath at that. Frank looked at him and frowned.

 

“Sorry, if you don’t like the nickname…”

 

“No...it’s not that...that was what Mikey called me...Bert tried to call me that once but I hated it. Hearing it just hurt. From you...I kind of like it.”

 

Gerard moved over closer to Frank who put his arm around his and kissed his forehead. Gerard liked that too so he leaned up and kissed Frank’s cheek. Frank looked at him and smiled a little but it didn’t last long. 

 

“I haven’t found anything helpful yet.”

 

“It’s ok, you’ve still got time.”

 

~~~~~

 

With Frank back and Worm on high alert it was easier for Gerard to avoid Bert. He got better and the pain went away. After about a month Gerard was finally comfortable in his surroundings again and when Frank showed up for his shift he was sitting there waiting for him. Things were getting more heated between them and Gerard wanted so bad for it to be a normal relationship. Frank had kissed him a few times and it’d led to some making out but never for too long because of the nagging fear of getting caught. Frank was still working tirelessly to find a loophole or some stray evidence for Gerard, but getting nowhere. He’d said something about having family ties to one of the crime families so he was going to shake up a few branches of the tree for some info but had nothing yet. It was a good idea if the guys that Gerard killed were Mafia. 

 

Dinner was quiet for the most part and Gerard was glad to go back to his cell. Frank checked the others and signalled to Bob. 

 

“I swear to god, Iero.”

 

Frank stuck out his tongue at him and opened Gerard’s door. 

 

“You know, Frankie, it’s not nice to stick your tongue out at other kids.”

 

Gerard giggled as Frank moved over to sit on the cot with him. Gerard smiled happily and crawled over to Frank, reaching out to tug at one of the little fastens on Frank’s vest. 

 

“I need to take this off today do I? Someone feeling cuddly?”

 

Frank raised an eyebrow but he was smiling. Once in awhile Gerard would ask him to take it off so that he could hug him comfortably, just to feel the warmth and the contact that he missed sometimes. Worm gave good hugs but it was never the same as Frank. Gerard nodded and tugged again. Frank undid it and slid out of the vest to set it aside. 

 

“That better?”

 

Gerard nodded and crawled over into Frank’s lap.

 

“Is this a new cuddling position I wasn’t made aware of?”

 

Frank chuckled as Gerard wrapped his arms around his neck. Gerard shook his head and leaned down to kiss Frank, whose hands wandered up Gerard’s thighs to grip his hips tightly. Gerard let Frank invade his mouth with his tongue and moaned at the feeling of his hands balled up in the jumpsuit, frustrated at his inability to touch Gerard’s skin. They both pushed it further than they’d been willing to go before and the last straw seemed to be Gerard grinding his hips down against Frank, making it perfectly clear what he wanted. Frank undid the front of Gerard’s jumpsuit and laid him down on the cot. He kissed at Gerard’s exposed neck and chest, trying to get the jumpsuit off of him entirely. Gerard helped the best he could and eventually wiggled it down to his waist so Frank could slide it off of him. Gerard reached up to unbutton Frank’s shirt, revealing more dark ink covering his skin. Gerard was amazed by how much of it there was. 

 

“Didn’t these hurt?”

 

“Yeah but you deal. I wanted them bad enough that I got over it.” 

 

Frank smiled and kissed him again, harder than before but not rough the way Gerard had become used to. Gerard liked this and wanted more of it. He pushed Frank’s shirt off his shoulders and pulled it off of him to show even more ink. It made Gerard’s breath catch in his throat it was so pretty. Frank jumped a little and stopped, listening for a second and not moving till whatever he heard was gone. Gerard looked past him and saw no one out in the hall. Gerard leaned up and kissed Frank until he relaxed and kissed back again. He reached down and unbuckled Frank’s belt to push his pants down, jumping a little at the feeling of the cold hard plastic of the taser attached to his belt on his leg. 

 

“It’s ok, it’s off. Can’t hurt you.”

 

Frank soothed him and wiggled the rest of the way out of his pants. Gerard wasn’t sure what the hell to call the stiff material they were made out of but he was happy when they were gone. Frank made quick work of both of their boxers and leaned back over Gerard to kiss his jaw and neck. Gerard closed his eyes and let the feeling overwhelm him, being close to Frank, skin pressed together and how warm he was. Nothing in a million years could compare to that. It was different, it felt like he was cared for and safe, it was weird but nice. He didn’t notice as much when Frank spit on his own hand until he felt the finger pushing gently at his entrance. He jumped a little and Frank stilled, this made Gerard open his eyes and look at him. Frank was waiting, it was plain on his face he wanted Gerard to tell him it was ok. Gerard nodded and bit his lip as Frank pushed again. He worked quickly and carefully, opening Gerard up and making him moan quietly. It hurt at first but Gerard was ready for that. What he wasn’t ready for was how good it felt once he got used to it slowly. Frank gave him the time to get used to it instead of rushing forward. 

 

When Frank took his fingers away Gerard whined a little and Frank silenced him with a kiss. He barely noticed Frank shifting his weight and lining up until he pushed a little. Gerard gasped and dug his nails into Frank’s shoulders a little. Frank moved slowly again and when he bottomed out Gerard looked up at him. He kissed Gerard’s face so gently it barely felt like he touched him at all. Gerard kissed him back and urged him forward, moaning quietly when Frank started moving slowly. Frank’s voice as he moaned sent funny chills over Gerard’s skin and he loved it, it felt so good and he started to meet his thrusts as Frank changed his angle and sped up his movement. It didn’t take long for it to become too much for Gerard, and Frank followed him over the edge as Gerard tightened around him. Neither of them moved for a couple minutes, trying to catch their breath before Frank pulled away from Gerard. Frank stopped for a second and listened, Gerard sat up and kissed his cheek. 

 

“Go before you get in trouble if they didn’t already hear.”

 

“I’ll be fine.” 

 

Frank smiled and kissed him again. 

 

“Not if you get caught you won’t.” 

 

“Well then I won’t get caught.” 

 

Frank stood up and got dressed as quietly as he could and buckled his belt and taser back into place. He picked up the vest and sighed, as he put it on. Gerard put on his boxers and moved up onto his knees on the bed to help Frank fasten it back where it was meant to be. Frank looked down at him and found himself wishing for this to be different. His mind gave him the image of Gerard helping him get ready for work in a shared apartment and he wanted more than anything to help him get out of here. He kissed Gerard again and made the silent promise to try harder. He felt worse than he ever had as he locked the door behind him. When he got to his spot Bob was there. He swatted Frank up the back of his head. 

 

“Hey!”

 

Frank protested and glared up at him.

 

“You’re not supposed to get involved with them.”

 

“Were we that loud?”

 

Frank said in concern. 

 

“Actually no, surprisingly. I don’t think anyone but me heard you and that was because I got worried and almost checked on you till I heard him moan when I got close.”

 

“Bob…”

 

“Don’t...just tell me you aren’t just using him.”

 

“No...I’m actually not. I don’t know when it happened but…”

 

“Then I won’t report you just don’t get caught by anyone else. You realize he’s waiting for his turn on deathrow though, right?”

 

“Yeah, I know…”

 

Frank looked at his feet and sighed heavily. He couldn’t really forget it. He felt Bob’s hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a sympathetic look on the man’s face. 

 

“And now I  _ know _ you’re not lying about not using him.”

 

That was all Bob said before he went back to his spot and left Frank there with his ever slowly breaking heart. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank walked past Bob who grinned and shook his head at Frank, who in turn stuck out his tongue. It’d been their routine for the last year. Frank was getting worse and he knew that but Bob liked to point it out. He’d let Bob in on what was going on and Bob offered what little help he could but he didn’t know much of what to do so he just read through reports with Frank and stood guard when Frank went in to sit with Gerard, he also graciously ignored any moans he happened to hear. 

 

Frank was worried that Bert had caught on because he’d tried to pick a fight with Worm publically and draw attention to Frank asking Worm to look after Gerard. Worm, however, denied Frank’s involvement and the people in charge moved on shaking their heads, leaving a frustrated Bert behind. He did everything he could to be a nuisance to Frank but Frank never let him see that he got to him. 

 

Frank was also frustrated with his search for Gerard’s freedom. He was so close and yet so far away. He’d started talking to one of his cousins about the incident and he had heard vague rumours but had nothing to back it up and couldn’t help as much as Frank would like without bringing the Don down on his head. Even being seen talking to Frank was dangerous so they emailed and his cousin deleted the emails on his end every day. Frank kept them to read over and because they’d never look on his computer. He poured over the reports and rumours and news articles every chance he got but couldn’t find any solid proof or even a fully formed rumour to go off of. Only bits and pieces. 

 

It made him nervous that Gerard was two years into a five year sentence. He could feel time slipping past him and he wanted it to stop so he could figure this out. There were whispers of death row wait listers being pulled way early and Frank no longer knew where Gerard was on that list, which made him worry all that much more. 

 

Gerard was a little more independent in the prison now though as Worm had given him some tradeable stuff he had for Christmas and Gerard gave him a drawing of some nerd thing in return. Frank wasn’t sure what it was from. He’d given Frank a drawing of them and it hung on Frank’s wall at home. He couldn’t take a picture of them but the drawing was good enough and Frank liked it better. 

 

He got to Gerard’s cell and smiled at him sitting on his bed drawing. He silently opened the door and snuck inside before Gerard noticed him. 

 

“Hey Frankie.”

 

“Hey baby, whatcha working on.”

 

“Just a comic book doodle.” 

 

He set it aside and moved over towards Frank, tugging at his vest until he took it off. He hugged Frank tightly and buried his face in his chest. 

 

“Long day?”

 

Frank asked as he wrapped his arms tightly around him. He felt him nod and try to hide as close to Frank as he could get. 

 

“What happened?”

 

“People talking.”

 

“Bout what?”

 

When he got no answer he nudged Gerard and leaned back a bit to look down at him. 

 

“What are they talking about that’s bugging you.”

 

“People on death row. They’re being taken out early.”

 

Frank sighed. 

 

“Most people in here are on death row as far as I know, or they have life sentences.”

 

Gerard shook his head. 

 

“Apparently there are only certain numbers in each block on the list.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“It wasn’t hard for everyone to figure out. But in the last two years they’ve done twice as many I heard, and they are going block by block. Seven lost one the other day and if the pattern continues, they’ll lose another in two weeks.”

 

“Shit, Gerard, I don’t think that’s what’s going on. It’s gonna be ok, I’m gonna get you out.”

 

He hugged Gerard tightly and kissed the top of his head. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank looked at the reports in his hand and held his phone to his ear with his shoulder, listening to the hold tune. He was becoming less confident of his ability to find the loophole to get his man out of prison and Lynz had been there a couple times to pick him up when he became a crumpled mess. She was worried and he knew that but he couldn’t help it. 

 

In two and a half months block seven had lost it’s last two death row inmates and he’d walked into eight to find that Pete was gone and Gabe was distraught in a way Frank had never imagined he could be. Every cell block had at least three. And he’d found out they’d jumped from doing two a year to one a month...and then this year one every two weeks. He wasn’t sure why but something was going on.

 

His cousin was on the other end of the phone, hopefully talking to someone higher up who could get him some information but they were getting nothing. At this point Frank would settle for just the slightest thing to make them reopen the investigation. 

 

He heard the tune cut out and he sighed in relief. 

 

“Ok, Frankie, I might have something for you. The boss says he’s got a guy in right now from the other family that is offering to talk. He doesn’t condone rats but he said he’d be willing to trade for a favour.”

 

Frank sighed and hoped it wouldn’t be anything huge. 

 

“One favour and it depends on what he brings me for information so he better make it good.”

 

“Noted, I’ll pass that along. I’ll let you know the second we know anything.”

 

Frank could feel the tears in his eyes and he held them back the best he could. 

 

“Yeah, call me.”

 

Frank hung up and collapsed onto the couch. He was so unbelievably close and it hurt. The tears fell and he curled up tightly, wishing with his entire being for this guy to spill everything. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard watched as actual police officers came in and took Ryan. He was one that didn’t talk much and when he did it was always nice to listen to. Gerard had heard him sing once and it was one of the prettiest things he ever heard. 

 

But as they took him he knew what that meant. His clock was set to two weeks and it’d started counting down. He curled up and when they called for lunch he wouldn’t go. They left him there and moved on the same way they had the first day. They left him in peace and when Frank showed up Gerard didn’t hear him till he was right in front of him. 

 

“Gee, what’s going on?”

 

Gerard heard Mikey’s name for him and that did him in, he couldn’t help the tears. He felt himself being wrapped up in a tight hug, he heard Frank whispering but not what he was saying. Frank let him cry until there were no tears left and then still just held him. He vaguely heard Bob call Frank away and Frank kissed his forehead, promising to return and bring food. 

 

Gerard sat staring blankly at a wall until Frank came back. He offered Gerard food but he wasn’t really hungry. He tried to eat, for Frank, but it just made him throw up and Frank took the food away for now. Frank knew what was going on. There was no way he didn’t and you could hear the worry hidden in his voice. Gerard’s mind started to work and he hated it but he could see the reason. He thought about the fact that when he died he’d be with Mikey again, he’d have his baby brother back and he wouldn’t be here, and the waiting would be over. Waiting was the most painful part of it he was sure. A tiny part of him was afraid to die though. He’d lose Frank and that stung more than Gerard ever thought it could. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank all but jumped out of his skin when his phone rang. He saw his cousin’s name and his eyes went wide. They hadn’t found anything helpful and Gerard was getting worse as the two weeks wore on. Today Frank had considered calling in sick but he couldn’t, he had to see Gerard again and pray they hadn’t taken him in the morning. He was half dressed for work and dreading it. He answered the phone and was immediately greeted by his cousin’s voice yelling at him.

 

“Why the fuck do you take so long to answer the phone? Dude! We found it. We got a confession from someone and they have agreed to testify for his case. Gerard is a free man all we gotta do is get their attention.”

 

“Woah, slow down, what?”

 

“I got your man his ticket out of there you fuck. His death row pardon, all you gotta do is hand it in. So haul ass.”

 

Frank was dumbfounded for a second. 

 

“Email me the details so I can finish getting ready.” 

 

“Will do.”

 

Frank hung up and hurried to get dressed and out the door. He got to work in record time and in the door. Ray raised an eyebrow at him but let him through anyways and instead of going down to the block he went up to the office. Jamia was startled by him and more than a little confused.

 

“Jamia, I need to talk to the boss. Now!”

 

“Alright, alright.” 

 

She frowned and called up to the office. The boss came down and looked at Frank in confusion. 

 

“What’s going on, Iero?”

 

“It’s about the inmate in Cell Ten, Block Eight. He was wrongly charged. He lied when he confessed, I looked into it. He was stalked and attacked by these people, the same people that killed his brother.”

 

“Do you have proof of this?”

 

“I have a man waiting to testify.”

 

The boss looked at him wide eyed and then frowned.

 

“Jamia, what is that inmate’s number?”

 

“Uh….#983119.”

 

Frank had actually never heard Gerard’s number but he also didn’t like the look on the boss’s face. He grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled out a note on it and sighed it. 

 

“You need to take this, immediately, he was taken out of his cell little over an hour ago and refused his last meal. He doesn’t have long.”

 

Frank felt his heart drop. He took the note and nodded as the boss shooed him out. He took off down the hall he never went down. He took the stairs as quickly as he could without falling and cursed that this part had no intercom or radios or anything. It made no sense to him. He almost couldn’t get through the door but got it open and ran down to the holding room. He looked in the window and saw it was empty. This made the sinking feeling in his chest worse. He went down to the last room on the long hallway and banged on the door. The room with no windows. It took a second to get an answer and when he did see the door open he saw two officers lifting an inmate off the medical looking chair. Their dark hair hiding their face but he knew who it was and he felt his heart shatter. He stumbled away from the door and the woman that’d opened it reached out to steady him. She took the paper in his hand and read it. He heard her talking to the others and the panic in their voices. He’d only been a minute too late. Gerard had been alive still when he’d started his way down here. He felt sick to his stomach and like if he let himself cry he’d never stop. He could see Gerard, laid out on a gurney to carry him to the cremation room. 

 

~~~~~

 

Inmates don’t get funerals but the staff involved in the execution are given time off. Taking a life is not easy. The boss extended that leave to Frank because of how close he’d been to saving that life and how it visibly affected him. Gerard was gone and Frank could have stopped it. That wore on him the most. They told him the injection was painless but that didn’t matter to him. Gerard was afraid of needles and it was a needle that killed him. Seemed like a justified fear. Frank was off for a month and when he came back he walked down to Block Eight numbly. He put on a blank face and passed Bob without a word to stand in his place. Gerard’s cell had been cleaned out and his drawings, art supplies, and his few possessions likely disposed of or given away. 

 

Frank stopped dead when he saw someone leaning against the door inside of Ten. They’d filled the cell already. He refused to go down there so he stopped closer to Worm’s cell. Worm saw him and tapped at the bars to catch his attention. Frank looked up and Worm motioned for him to come over to the door. 

 

“When they cleaned out his stuff I told them I wanted his drawings and art stuff. It took some convincing but they gave it to me. I knew you’d want them.”

 

He held out a small box and slid it through the bars. Frank’s hand shook as he reached up to take it. Worm wrapped his hand around Frank’s and held him steady, gently giving him the box. 

 

“He’d want  _ you  _ to have this.”

 

Frank leaned against the bars for support and mumbled a thank you to him before going back to his spot. When dinner came he moved down to ten and opened the door but he stopped when he saw the person inside. His face was sharp angles patched together to make a beautiful human being. His hair was a gold blonde and his eyes...Frank had seen those eyes before, right down to the funny brown spot in the gold-green iris. 

 

“Mikey Way?”

 

The man looked up at the sound of his name on a stranger’s lips. 

 

“Who’s asking?” 

 

Frank couldn’t find the words and Mikey got impatient.

 

“Look, buddy, I don’t know who you are or what you think you know, or even where you heard that name but you need to shut it. You’re here to get me for something, are you not?”

 

Frank was dumbfounded and furrowed his brows together as he let Mikey out to join the others. He watched them during dinner and was confused by Mikey. He was quiet like Gerard but it was a different kind of quiet. Bert approached him but quickly retreated and looked at Mikey warily for the rest of dinner. They got back to their cells and Frank sat in his spot with the box the Worm had given him. He opened it and looked through the drawings till he found one that Gerard had done of Mikey. He’d done a few but it was the first one he came across. It was definitely the one in ten. Frank looked up to see him leaning against the bars, with his arms hanging through. He was watching Frank but he just looked bored. Frank got up and walked over to him, he stayed just out of his reach though. He held up the drawing. 

 

“This is how I knew your name.”

 

Mikey looked at the drawing for a second and seemed to recognized it. 

 

“Oh.” 

 

Mikey pushed away from the bars and went to sit on the bed, looking away from Frank. His face seemed calm but Frank couldn’t shake the feeling that he was pissed about something.

 

“Mikey…”

 

“Shut up and go back to your job, guard.” 

 

“Why?”

 

“Because, you can take that stupid drawing and shove it up your ass.” 

 

Frank frowned at him and it made his chest ache. 

 

“Real funny way of respecting your brother’s memory while you stand in his cell.” 

 

He clipped the words and glared hard at Mikey who froze. 

 

“What do you mean his cell? I’ve got this one to myself I was told and his five years ain’t up yet.”

 

“Now you care?”

 

“No.”

 

Mikey stood up and faced Frank. 

 

“I couldn’t give less of a shit about the rat that left me and stopped giving a shit about me. I lost my brother a long time ago and that was his choice. He threw me aside like second rate trash.”

 

Mikey spit each word with so much venom it made Frank flinch. 

 

“You said memory, so he’s dead then? At least I won’t have to look at him again.”

 

“You...have no idea. He watched you die and he had nightmares about it the entire time he was here. He was  _ here  _ because he avenged you and defended himself by killing the men that he thought had killed you.  He was executed for it so I dare you to speak ill of him when he died with a broken heart that I could never really fix because of you. He missed you and he drew your face a lot because of that.” 

 

Frank growled back, glaring back at the man and watching each word and their implications hit him like a brick wall. 

 

“But...they said...no, you’re lying.”

 

“Am I? Why else would I know that he associated you with so many of his favourite books and movies and games? And that he used to make you hot chocolate in the winter when you got home from school because no matter how many layers you had on you were so skinny that you couldn’t stay warm on the walk home?”

 

He could see the memories playing over in Mikey’s mind. He could see him breaking. 

 

“He talked about you all the time. I know you called him Gee and he flinched when I called him that the first few times but got used to hearing it from someone other than you. I know he would make you feel better when kids at school made fun of your glasses.”

 

“Please stop.”

 

Mikey spoke barely above a whisper and Frank looked at him. He’d folded in on himself. 

 

“I don’t know who told you Gerard didn’t care, but they lied to you.”

 

“It was how they got me to work for them.” 

 

Mikey shook his head and Frank sighed, opening the door and stepping inside. He told himself he never would again. Mikey looked up at him as the door closed. Frank hesitated before undoing his vest and setting it aside to pull Mikey into a tight hug. He melted into Frank’s arms and curled up there. It was familiar and yet really not. 

 

“They used you. Just please tell me you’re not on death row like he was.”

 

Mikey shook his head. 

 

“Fifteen years.” 

 

Frank sighed heavily and tried his best to comfort Mikey. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank tapped his foot as he waited outside of work on his day off. He didn’t get many and he was glad he got today. He stood leaned against his beat up pick up, waiting. He grinned when he saw the door open and Mikey walked out towards him. He hesitated at first and then ran at Frank who held his arms open. 

 

“Come on you.” 

 

He kissed Mikey’s cheek and shooed him into the truck. Mikey had been given a gift in the form of his freedom seven years early because of good behaviour and a reduced sentence in light of evidence he was coerced into compliance working for the people that had him carry out eight armed robberies. Frank knew that the rest of Mikey’s life would be an uphill battle but he figured it was easier to do with help. He’d spent eight years getting to know the Mikey that he’d heard about for nearly two and a half years before he met him. He found that he loved the younger man. They fit together like to jagged, broken pieces of a puzzle. 

 

“Where do you want to go?” 

 

“I kind of want some real food, the food in there is absolute shit.”

 

“Greasy diner with good coffee it is.” 

 

Frank chuckled and his heart warmed at the smile he got in response. He started up the truck and headed for his favourite diner, reaching one hand over to hold Mikey’s and smiling softly as he squeezed his hand.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always online somewhere if you wanna chat...  
> you can find me @ thePetetoherPat on Twitter and thepetetoherpatrick.tumblr.com ^-^  
> AND NOW ON INSTAGRAM @ xo_thepetetoherpatrick_xo 
> 
> hit me up whenever xoxo


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